Modern offices commonly include a plurality of partitions dividing the office space into individual workspaces. Open office plans have been developed to reduce overall officing costs, and generally incorporate large, open floor spaces in buildings that are equipped with modular furniture systems which are readily reconfigurable to accommodate the ever-changing needs of a specific user, as well as the divergent requirements of different tenants. One arrangement commonly used for furnishing open plans includes movable partition panels that are detachably interconnected to partition off the open spaces into individual workstations and/or offices. Such partition panels are configured to receive hang-on furniture units, such as worksurfaces, overhead cabinets, shelves, etc., and are generally known in the office furniture industry as xe2x80x9csystems furniturexe2x80x9d. Another arrangement for dividing and/or partitioning open plans includes modular furniture arrangements, in which a plurality of differently shaped, freestanding furniture units are positioned in a side-by-side relationship, with upstanding privacy screens attached to at least some of the furniture units to create individual, distinct workstations and/or offices. Both of these types of modular furniture systems, as well as others, have been widely received due to their ability to be readily reconfigured and/or moved to a new site, since they are not part of the permanent leasehold improvement.
Hang-on binder bins have been widely used in office furniture arrangements to provide storage space for books, office supplies and the like. Such binder bins are commonly positioned above worksurfaces to provide for efficient use of the office space, and permit ready access by the user. However, existing binder bins may include relatively complex door opening mechanisms including slides, bearings, pivots, or the like that add to the manufacturing costs and complexity of the unit. Also the mechanism may bind, or otherwise fail, requiring repair to permit proper operation of the binder bin.
One aspect of the present invention is a storage unit for use in an office environment. The storage unit includes a structural frame having two opposing side panels, at least one laterally extending panel extending between and interconnecting the side panels to define an interior space. The frame includes a perimeter defining an access opening that provides access to the interior space. The storage unit includes a flexible cover having opposing side edges, a front edge, and a rear edge. The flexible cover is attached to the structural frame proximate said rear edge of said flexible cover, and extends freely from the attachment to the frame. The flexible cover has an engagement feature which is selectively engageable with the frame at first and second locations on the frame. Engagement of the cover with the frame at the first location places the flexible cover in a closed position with the opposing side edges of the flexible cover extending proximate the perimeter defining the access opening. Engagement of the flexible cover with the frame at the second location places the flexible cover in an open position wherein the flexible cover is positioned to allow access to the interior space of the storage unit through the access opening.
Another aspect of the present invention is a partition panel system for use in an office environment. The partition panel system includes a partition panel and a storage unit attached to the partition panel. The storage unit has two side panels and a laterally extending panel extending between and interconnecting the side panels. The storage unit defines an interior space and an access opening. The storage unit also includes a flexible cover having opposing side edges, a front edge, and a rear edge. The flexible cover is attached to the storage unit proximate the rear edge of the cover, and extends freely from the attachment to the storage unit. The flexible cover has an engagement feature which is selectively engageable with the storage unit at first and second locations on the storage unit. Engagement of the flexible cover with the storage unit at the first location places the flexible cover in a closed position wherein the cover substantially obstructs access to the interior space of the storage unit. Engagement of the flexible cover with the storage unit at the second location places the flexible cover in an open position wherein the cover is positioned to allow access to the interior space of the storage unit through the access opening.
Another aspect of the present invention is a storage unit for use in office environments. The storage unit includes a structural frame having two opposing side panels, and at least one laterally extending panel extending between and interconnecting the side panels. The structural frame has a perimeter defining an access opening. The storage unit includes a flexible cover having opposing side edges, a front edge, and a rear edge. The flexible cover is attached to the frame proximate the rear edge of the flexible cover, and the flexible cover extends freely from the attachment to the frame. The flexible cover has an engagement portion located proximate the front edge of the flexible cover, and the flexible cover engagement portion is selectively engageable with the frame at first and second locations. The engagement portion is engageable with the frame at the first location in a first attachment method, and the engagement portion is engageable with the frame at a second location in a second attachment method.
Another aspect of the present invention is a storage unit for offices including a housing having a pair of generally upright, horizontally spaced apart end walls, and a generally horizontal shelf extending between and interconnecting the end walls and defining a storage space having an opening to provide access to the storage space. Each end wall defines a generally horizontal edge portion and a generally vertical edge portion with a curved portion extending between the vertical and horizontal portions to define therewith a pair of side edges to the opening. A flexible cover is secured to the housing, and the flexible cover is movable between an open position providing access to the storage space, and a closed position wherein the cover bends to fit closely around the side edges to close off the storage space.
These and other features, advantages, and objects of the present invention will be further understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art by reference to the following specification, claims, and appended drawings.